Noted Washington Nationals Killer Announces Plan to Retire at End of Season
The Washington Nationals can breathe a little easier now with one of their biggest adversaries hanging up the cleats at the end of the season.
Charlie Blackmon, a 14-year veteran of the Colorado Rockies, announced that he would be retiring at the end of the year, ending a long and storied career.
While the Nationals and Rockies may only see each other six or seven times a year, Blackmon has been a thorn in Washington's side through every meeting.
The veteran carries a .309/.358/.552 career line against the Nationals with 30 extra-base hits, 32 RBI, and a 117 OPS+ across 240 plate appearances in 54 games.
His .910 OPS against Washington is his highest mark against any team he has accrued 200 or more plate appearances against.
Charlie Blackmon has announced he will retire from Major League Baseball after a 14-year career - all with the Colorado @Rockies.
— MLB (@MLB) September 24, 2024
He was a 4-time All-Star, 2-time Silver Slugger, and won the 2017 National League batting title. pic.twitter.com/j2oKdpUXi3
Blackmon, 38, had a massive peak to his career from 2016-2019.
In those four seasons, he batted to a .315/.376/.558 line with 303 extra-base hits, 342 RBI, and a 128 OPS+.
He was awarded two Silver Sluggers in that stretch, named to three All-Star teams, and finished fifth in National League MVP voting in 2017.
For his career, he has two Silver Slugger awards, four All-Star nods, and two top-30 National League MVP finishes.
We will never know what could have been for Blackmon had he left Colorado and played for a contender.
Just at Nationals Park, the veteran carried a .318/.354/.561 career line with 15 extra-base hits, 15 RBI, and a 118 OPS+ across 113 plate appearances in 26 games.
While the Nationals will not miss having to face Charlie Blackmon, his presence as a veteran in MLB will be missed dearly.
